Sintering apparatus



1951 w. A. HARDIN 2,574,388

SINTERING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 9, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1951 w. A. HARDHN SINTERING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 9, 194 8 NOV. 6, 1951 w A HARD|N SINTERING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 9, 1948 Patented Nov. 6, 1951 SINTERING APPARATUS William A. Hardin, Copperhill, 'lenn., assignor to Tennessee Copper Company, New York, N. Y a corporation oi New Jersey Application January 9, 1948, Serial No. 1,294

11 Claims.

The present invention is an improved method and apparatus for delivering and distributing material to a sintering machine such as a mixture of iron oxides and sulfides.

Particular objects of the present invention are to provide sintering machines in which a bed of uniform porosity is laid on the grates the full width-of the machine by which is secured improved quality of sinter and sulfur dioxide and greater capacity and yield. Further objects are to-provide distributing means which are simpler and cheaper to build and maintain, and which avoid the complications, expense. limitations and insuiliciencies of the conventional swinging'chute system.

These objects are attained primarily by substituting for the conventional lateral swinging chute system a system that has no lateral displacement and that deposits a thin continuous stream the full width of the machine and that acts on the mixture of aggregates and fines to separate the former from the latter and deposit the aggregates at the bottom of the bed to be sintered and the fines on top thereof and without lateral segregation between the aggregates and the fines. segregation in depth provides greater and uni- This form porosity and insures better oxidation as the openings between the grates are not closed by the smaller particles; and this gives improved quality of sinter and sulfur dioxide and increased output.

Generally stated the preferred means for securing these objects is a stationary semi-conical body of metal or other material that forms the falling mixture into a semi-circular stream that is continuously projected onto baflle means interposed between the semi-conical body and the cutoil plate at the surface of the bed. The baflie means thus interposed between the semi-conical body and the cut-oil plate slow down the falling material, convert the semicircular stream into a straight line stream and deliver it in a thin stream the full width of the machine against the lower portion of the cut-oil plate where the coarse particles or aggregates separate from the fines and rebound from the cut-off plate down onto the grates. The finer particles contain most of the moisture and do not rebound like the coarser particles and therefore are slower to reach the gram The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating two embodiments of the inventive idea and wherein Fig. 1 is a vertical end elevation partly in sectionshowing the distributing means in association with the pallets and grates of a Dwight and Lloyd sintering machine;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view at right angles to Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is acorresponding sectional view with certain parts omitted;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the material distributing means;

Fig. 5 is a detail of a modification for producing the distributing cone for the material to be sintered; and

Fig. 6 is a section on line 8-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings wherein like refer ence numerals indicate like parts, It is a mixer. through which the material to be sintered is fed by reversely rotating inclined blades II and I! mounted on shafts l8 and ii that are driven by any suitable means. This material consists of a necessary amount of combustible ingredients, contains a large part of relatively fine material or fines and a. substantial amount of hard, coarse material or aggregates. Water is added to the material in mixer In to increase the porosity of the bed when the moisture is evaporated by passage of the bed under the usual ignition device or furnace. The mixer I II i mounted on four standards l5 projecting upwardly from mixer floor ii. A discharge spout I'I projects downwardly from mixer l0 and into the upper end of mixer chute I8. The chute I! is preferably connected to and suspended from spout I! in any desired manner as by spot welding angle members I! and I! carriedthereby.

The material from the chute l8 impin es on a body [9 that causes the material to fall in a semicircular stream the lateral margins of which are indicated by broken lines on Fig. 4. This body I! may be formed in various ways so long as it has no lateral displacement but it is preferably a semicone of metal, wood, rubber or the like. Preferably the semi-cone is mounted on a plate III which is pivotally connected at its upper edge to a bar 2| carried by plates 22 which are vertically ad-- justable in slots 23 in two of the uprights IS. The plates 22 are secured in the desired vertical position by any suitable means such as screws or bolts 24. Dependent upon the character of the material being fed the inclination of the semi-conical body is and the plate 20 about the pivot 2| may be varied by movement of adjustment bar 2! which engages a latching member 26 carried by one of the uprights IS.-

The falling semicircular stream of material passing from the semi-conical body I! is-projected against baiiie means.- here shown as baille plates 3 21 and 28. From plate 28 the material to be sintered is projected against the lower portion of a cut-off plate I! which is arranged above the usual endless traveling pallets l and grates Ii of a conventional Dwight and Lloyd sintering machine. The pallets 30 are provided with rollers 3| that engage a track 30" part of the upper run of whichis shown in Fig. 4. The lower plate 28 closely approaches the .lower edge of the cut-off plate IIv so that athin stream of material passe to the grates. 4

The upper edge of baille plate 21 is secured in position against angle member 32 on the mixer floor I. and the lower edge of said plate 21 overlaps plate II which in one embodiment of my invention is arranged at an angle of 60 degrees to direct the falling material against the cut-off plate 20, as indicated in Figs. 2and 3, to obtain maximum deflection of the coarser particles or aggregates so that they will reach the grates 3| before the fines. In this embodiment of my invention the forward edge of plate 28 is about 3" from the plate II. Y

The cut-01f plate It is maintained in a vertical position, and constitutes the front wall of a box I! which is also provided with side walls and N (Fig. 4). Lower baffle plate "is provided with flanges I! and 36 which are suitably secured to-said side walls by bolts 31 or otherwise. The front wall and side walls 33 and 34 of the box 28' are secured to and carried-by a beam 38 and are fixed -in-position thereon by any suitable means as angle members 38. Above the front wall or cut-off plate 29 there is secured in any suitable manner a guard plate 40 which prevents-the material rebounding from baffle plate 11 over the top of the cut-off plate 29. J The baiile plates 21 and 28 slow down the speed of the falling material, convert the semicircular stream of aggregates and fines into a straight line stream, and progressively widen and thin the stream to the full width of the machine; and

4 stream of mixture that falls directly on the cutoil plate at any instant is relatively compact; and in view of the fact that the lateral discharge from the swinging chute is associated with the forward movement of the grates the bed is laid in a saw-tooth pattern that inherently has varying porosity. Accordingly the output is slowed down to the sintering rate of the most compacted areas; andat this time the more porous areas in which the sintering action is first completed permit excess'or "false" air to be drawn into the gas stream as the bed passes over the wind boxes. Besides reducing sinter production this has the disadvantages of diluting the sulfur dioxide concentration of the gas and requires greater power to handle the volume of excess or false" air at the prevailing high vacuum.

iii

control the speed and the angle for maximum ,defiection at which the material is discharged largely increased production and output are se-' cured;

It is important to note that in my improved system a simple vertical adjustment of the semicone II is all that is necessary to adapt my distributing means to machines of varying widths. Accordingly bythe provision of the semi-cone II and the battle means 21 and 28 sintering machines of; any desired size and width may be employed having all of the above specified advantages.

Other advantages of the stationary semi-cone spreader over the swinging chute type of distribution are that it is cheaper and simpler to build, install and operate, has no moving parts, requires no lubrication, minimizes repairs and, as hereto-.

fore noted; provides a simple means for continuously and uniformly feeding the material the full width" of the sintering machine without lateral segregation but with segregation in depth.

=With the swinging chuteaarrangement the- 'With; the present stationary semi-cone type of spreader and the bafiie plates 2'! and II the stream of mixture is not compacted at the cutoff plate is but is thinned and widened to the full width of the machine thus providing a unie form bed of uniform porosity. This is a matter of prime importance in sintering materials, MC! larly fine materials, where the uniform passage'of air through the bed is necessary for maximum output and quality.

While the semi-conical body is preferably made of metal, wood, rubber or other suitable material a semi-conical body may be formed by projecting a semicircle of sheet metal ll horizontally through a slot 42 in plate 20 (Figs. 5 and 6) in place of the semi-cone II. The plate ll may be fixed in the desired position of adjustment for cones of varying sizes by any suitable means as bolt 43 passing through slot 44 and angle support 45. The sintering mixture is directed from the chute ll upon this semicircular plate and immediately builds up and forms a semi-cone which conforms to the shape of the semicircular plate as a base. Thereafter the material to be sintered rolls down the semi-cone in a 'continu-' ous semicircular stream as with semi-cone il heretofore described.

The baiile plate 28 may be adjusted to varying angles of inclination, depending upon the nature of the material being handled, by changing the positions of bolts 31.

To facilitate the feed through the chute I! and: past the baifie plates 21 and 28 and cut-ofi'plate 29 of the material to be sintered I have provided a-series of pivoted bell crank levers one arm of each of which carries a hammer or rapper and the other arm of each of which is connected to a strap or chain that is periodically actuated to engage the several hammers or rappers with its associated part. The hammer for the chute II is carried by one arm I. of a bell crank pivoted at 41 the other arm ll being connected to a strap 4| that passes over pulley ll carried on upright II and under pulley I! also carried. by upright ll, said strap being then connected at I to a disk I4 rotated by speed reducer II. The hammer for the plate 2| is carried by one arm ll of a bell crank pivoted at H the other arm ll being also connected to strap ll. The hammer for baflle plate 21 is carried by one arm II of a bell crank pivoted at I. the other arm ll being connected to a strap 02 that passes over pulley l8 The hammer :for"

arcuate means on which the falling material is deposited and formed into a continuous semicircular stream, baflie means intercepting the semi-circular stream oi. material, converting the semicircular stream into a straight line stream and progressively widening and thinning the stream, and a cut-oil plate positioned adjacent thegrates against which the material is delivered at a deflecting'angle and from which the aggregates rebound onto the grates with the a gregates on the bottom and the fines on the top. 1

2. In a sintering machine, pallets provided with grates on which material is to be sintered, discharge means for dropping the material, stationary arcuate means for forming the falling material into a continuous semicircular stream, baflle means intercepting the falling material and converting the semicircular stream into a thin straight line stream, and a cut-off plate positioned adjacent the grates against which the material is delivered at a deflecting angle and from which the aggregates rebound onto the grates with the aggregates on the bottom and the fines on the top, along substantially the entire widthgof the machine.

3. In a sintering machine, grates on which material is to be sintered, discharge means for dropping ;the material, a semi-conical body on which the falling material impinges and which forms the falling material into a continuous semicircular stream, baiiie means arranged at an angle to said conical body receiving and slowing down the falling material from said body and converting the semicircular stream into a straight line stream and progressively widening and thinning said stream, and a cut-oil plate positioned adjacent said grates against which the material is delivered at a deflecting angle and from which the aggregates rebound onto the grates with the aggregates on the bottom and the fines on the top.

4. In a sintering machine, grates on which material is to be sintered, discharge means for the material, a stationary semi-conical body on which the discharge material impinges and which forms the falling material into a continuous semicircular stream, baiile means positioned below said body and receiving the falling material from said body and converting the semicircular stream into a straight line stream and progressively widening and thinning the stream, and a cut-oil plate positioned adjacent said grates against which the material is delivered along substantially the entire width 01' the machine and from which the aggregates rebound onto the grates with the aggregates on the bottom and the lines on the top.

5. In a sintering machine, pallets provided with grates on which material is to be sintered, a discharge chute for the material, a semi-conical body on which the discharged material impinges and which continuously forms the talling material into a semicircular stream, means for vertically adjusting said body, baiile means positioned below said body receiving the falling material from said body and converting the semicircular stream into a straight line stream, and

a cut-oil plate positioned adjacent the grates -means arranged beiow said body comprising a pair of inclined baflle plates one above the othel receiving and slowing down the falling material from said body, converting the semicircular stream into a straight line stream and progressively widening and thinning said stream, and a cut-oil plate positioned adjacent said grates against which the material is delivered in a thin stream from the lower baille plate and .irom which the aggregates rebound onto the grates with the aggregates on the bottom and the fines on the top.

7. In a sintering machine, pallets provided with grates on which material is to be sintered, a discharge chute for the material, a semi-conical body positioned below said chute on which the material impinges and which continuously forms the falling material into a semicircular stream. baiile means positioned below said body comprising a pair 0! inclined overlapping baille plates receiving the falling material from said body, converting the semicircular stream into a straight line stream, and progressively widening and thinning said stream, and a cut-oi! plate positioned adjacent said grates against which the material is delivered by the lower baflle plate and from which the aggregates rebound onto the grates with the aggregates on the bottom and the fines on the top.

8. In a sintering machine, pallets provided with grates on which material is tobe sintered, a discharge chute for the material, a semi-conical body positioned below said chute on which the material impinges and which continuously forms the falling material into a semicircular stream, upper and lower baille plates positioned below said body arranged at diflerent angles and receiving the falling material from said body and converting the semicircular stream into a thin straight line stream, and a cut-ofi plate positioned adjacent said grates against which the material is delivered and from which the aggregates rebound onto the grates with the aggregates on the bottom and the fines on the top, the lower baiile plate being positioned at a flatter angle than the upper bai'fle plate and having its discharge edge adjacent the lower portion of the cut-oi! plate.

9. In a sintering machine, pallets provided with grates on which material is to be sintered, a discharge chute for the material, a semi-conical body positioned below said chute on which the material impinges and which continuously forms the falling material into a semicircular stream, baiile means positioned below said body comprising a pair oi inclined baflle plates one above the other arranged at diii'erent angles receiving the falling material from said body, converting the semi-circular stream into a straight line stream,

maximum deflection oi the aggregates from the cut-oi! plate.

10. In a sintering machine, pallets provided with grates on which material is to be sintered, a discharge chute for the material, a semi-conical body on which the material impinges and which continuously forms the falling material into a semicircular stream, baille means comprising a pair 0! inclined baflie plates one above the other receivingand slowing down the falling material from said body and converting the semicircular stream into a straight line stream, a cut-oil plate against which the material is delivered and from which the aggregates rebound onto the grates with the aggregates on the bottom and the lines on the top, rappers for said chute and plates, and means for operating said rappers.

V 11. In a sintering machine, pallets provided with grates on which material is to be sintered, a discharge chute tor the material, a semi-conical body on which the material impinges and which continuously forms the falling material into a semicircular stream, bailie means comprising a pair of inclined baille plates one above the other receiving and slowing down the falling material from said body and converting the semicircular stream into a straight line stream, a cut-oi! plate against which the material is delivered and from which the aggregates rebound onto the grates with the aggregates on the bottom and the tines on the top, rappers for said chute and plates, and common means for pcriodically operating said rappers.

- WILLIAM A. HARDIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are 01' record in the tile oi. this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 260,764 Marks July 11, 1882 1,212,252 Pellegrino Jan. 18, 1917 1,741,944 Linney Dec. 31, 1929 1,799,163 Greenawalt Apr. 7, 1931 1,856,273 Swinehart May 3, 1932 1,861,122 Klencke May 31, 1932 1,889,055 Weawn Nov. 29, 1932 1,902,918 Bwinehart Mar. 28, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 21,828 Great Britain of 1900 40,384 Denmark June 18, 1929 

